Wander Minnesota: Memorial Day Resort Happenings
Sure, it's a month away, but Memorial Day will arrive faster than you think. Many resorts are planning long-weekend festivities for that weekend, and booking ahead is recommended. Here's a sampling of what you can find.
The Brainerd lakes area has several resorts with special offers. Nisswa's Lost Lake Lodge is offering something completely new: a Hawaiian Twist on Memorial Day. The lodge's new chef just spent a year in Hawaii and will produce Hawaiian cuisine, and guests can enjoy some Minnesota twists on Hawaiian favorites: no surfing, but how about paddle-boarding?
Grand View Lodge has some special events for the holiday weekend too, including a special wine dinner with Washington's Barnard Griffin winery on Saturday night, and Monday and Tuesday, there will be the Fred-Mary Golf Invitational, a charity tournament benefitting Bridges of Hope and Nisswa Enhanced Ready Fund, two Brainerd Lakes-area nonprofits.
Memorial Day weekend is a family friendly affair at Madden's Resort, which offers all kinds of freebies for kids that weekend: free lodging, food, and a wide range of kid- and family-friendly activities.
Cragun's has a full roster of Memorial Day weekend events, including a parade, a family carnival, pontoon rides, horse-drawn trolley rides, movies on the beach, and golf specials for veterans, among other events.
Over on the Gunflint Trail, the Gunflint Lodge offers packages with everything you need to go boating and fishing, and even horseback riding.
On Lake Superior, the Grand Superior Lodge offers 25 percent off its regular rates for stays of two nights or longer. Bonus: ask to schedule an in-room massage (not included in the rates).
Over by Bemidji, Ruttger's Birchmont Lodge doesn't have activities in its packages for Memorial Day weekend, but it is offering great deals on its lodging prices.
Near the Alexandria lakes area is Westridge Shores Resort, which kicks off the summer with free activities for kids, including a variety of creative activities. Don't worry, there are activities for grown-ups too, such as wine tastings and more advanced art projects.
What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Sunday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.